Cascades Park

The Cascades Park District is the centerpiece of a world-class, dual-purpose downtown 24 acre park extending from Pensacola Street on the north to Monroe Street on the southwest. It has been a colorful part of Tallahassee’s history since 1821 when Governor William Duval chose a beautiful waterfall (now Cascades Park) as place for Florida’s capital. Families enjoyed the park for more than half a century before coal-tar contamination closed the historic site. After years of neglect, Blueprint 2000 resumed efforts to remediate the site.

The newly renovated park features 2.3 miles of biking and walking trails, an outdoor amphitheatre and beautifully landscaped green space and ponds. In addition, an interactive fountain choreographed to colored lights and sound is a focal point. A fence featuring interpretive historical panels outline Tallahassee’s past, while numerous amenities commemorate specific local places and events. The former Cascades waterfall is represented by an ultra-modern, cylindrical fountain. The Prime Meridian Marker is showcased in a granite map of Florida and surrounded by a 160-foot diameter amphitheatre stage with seating capacity for up to 4000. A tribute to Smokey Hollow, a vibrant African-American community that existed in the area until the late 1950s, is in the planning stages.